Telegraph Hill
by ob frankenfics
Summary: Delphine Cormier is a world-famous actress promoting a film while in San Francisco. Stumbling into a book store one day, she discovers more than just a book to read. Notting Hill AU
1. Chapter 1

Anonymous said:

hello there awesome people! can you guys do a cophine nothing hill au? delphine as the famous actress and cosima is the bookshop owner? thanks,sorry to bother you guys :)

This was a prompt that we received back when Going Up first started. It took a few weeks and we hope this anon is still around to enjoy it because this was a delight to write. This story has been written by OTP324B21.

* * *

"Need any help?"

It was a brisk autumn afternoon and Delphine had slipped into the small store to get away from the breeze that seemed to course down the long streets, nipping at her nose and ears. She was on a rare free day in her busy schedule and she thought she'd take a walk through the small shops nearby, her identity hopefully hidden behind the large sunglasses that took over her full face. She wasn't even sure what sort of store she'd stumbled into until she was faced with shelves and shelves of book of all sizes. It was warm and bright and smelled of old paper and vanilla. She peaked around the corner of a shelf at the store clerk that had addressed her and shook her head. "Non. Merci." When in cognito, she had a tendency to rely more on her native accent, most of America having grown used to the American one she often used.

The shop keeper seemed to pause, as if on the fence about something before a smile spread across her face. "Ok, cool. Let me know if you have any questions."

Delphine nodded. Whether the girl recognized her or not, she was glad that there wasn't a sudden rush for an autograph, or a moment of awkward staring. No, the clerk seemed calm and collected, turning away from her as she stocked one of the shelves with books. Slipping down one of the short aisles, pretending to look at the titles of what seemed to be a vast collection of science-related books, Delphine studied the girl. Her hair was styled in a way that she normally associated with men, long brown locks twisted together into dreads that, while she normally thought of them as disturbing and unsanitary, were very well tended and well suited for the woman. She was dressed in deep red corduroy pants and a bohemian style shirt, the non-clinging material flowing freely as she stretched for a shelf that was just slightly too high, just barely transparent enough to see the tank top beneath it. Delphine's eyes drew further up the woman's form to find eyes decorated in winged eyeliner hidden behind black frames looking at her curiously. Obviously having been caught staring, Delphine looked away, picking up one of the closest books she could find.

A few heartbeats passed. "I wouldn't get that one...it's pretty bad." The shop girl was suddenly approaching, grinning a full toothy grin that showed off her pointed canines. "If you're looking for a good book on host-parasite..." She moved over to where Delphine was standing, expertly plucking a smaller paperback book off one of the shelves. "This one is a lot better. The author hasn't published anything in like 10 years and his old work is still pretty revolutionary."

This close, their height difference was painstakingly obvious, the top of the girl's head coming just up to her nose, if even that. She could smell the faint sweetness of perfume mixed with an herbal hint of something she couldn't quite put her finger on. Delphine looked down between the two books, her own blonde hair obscuring her vision just slightly until she reached up to push the unruly locks behind an ear. The book the shop girl had offered was pretty much wall to wall text, an occasional experiment diagram breaking the monotony. The book she had chosen herself was a hard-cover book with much more pictures, some in color, numerous scientific sketches, and much shorter in length. "Merci." Truth was, she only recognized a portion of the topics in either book. A few years ago, maybe three or maybe four, she had once played a doctor in a post-apocalyptic drama.

"I'm not sure what, um, what level you're looking for, but if you're looking for good info, that's the one. There's, um, some witty anecdotes about some failed experiments and even a tragic event involving toxoplasma gondii...if that's your kind of thing." She smiled as she spoke, her hands coming up as if having a mind of their own, as if she needed the physical interpretation of her wildly moving limbs to converse. The phone rang, and Shop Girl wrinkled her nose. "Be right back."

Delphine watched her disappear into the backroom for a moment before turning to the shelf, putting back the paperback book. She didn't want to seem rude in rejecting the offer, but she also had no intention on purchasing a book that she was never going to open again. On the same note, she also didn't want to walk out of the store empty-handed. These days, in the age of kindles and nooks, she doubted the small store made much income and she herself had more than enough money to go around. At least the hard cover book would be something to skim through. After all, the current movie she was currently promoting was a movie about parasitic aliens in space. They were related, right?

Looking around the store a little more, she wasn't surprised when the clerk returned as she neared the register, a flustered look quickly disappearing into a smile.

"Ready?" The brunette looked as though she wanted to laugh at the book she was handed, her suggestion so obviously having been ignored. "Ah well, maybe this book isn't as bad as I said. I mean, who needs whimsical tales of botched experiments?" She laughed nervously as she ran the credit card, bagging up the book. "I'm sure you'll enjoy it."

Still hidden behind her sunglasses, Delphine felt free to explore the woman's face a little closer, noticing a golden ring through one nostril and a smile that never left her face. She bit her own bottom lip and noticed that eyes the color of honey looked down almost magnetically, staring. She couldn't stop the small smirk that tugged at her mouth.

Shop Girl cleared her throat, having been caught. "Um, yeah." She slipped the receipt in the bag and handed it over, a slight shock hitting Delphine's gut when their fingertips brushed. "Enjoy. I'm Cosima, by the way. I'm like, always here." She picked up one of the cards with the store info on it. "Feel free to stop by again or even just call and tell me how you like it." Her brows furrowed as if her mind replayed the line she just said. "Um...the book, of course."

Delphine couldn't help but laugh at that, watching as the blush just slightly colored the tan cheeks. She couldn't stop herself from pulling her sunglasses down to give the girl a wink. "I will be sure to let you know exactly how I like it." The words slipped from her mouth as she slipped the shades back over her eyes. What the hell was she doing flirting with her? Sure the girl was cute, and funny, and obviously intelligent due to the nature of the store, but she didn't have time for whirlwind romances that might possibly destroy her career if reports got a hold of this little juicy part of her life that she'd managed to keep a reign on for almost 15 years. So instead she turned and walked to the door, pausing just momentarily. 'Don't turn around.' She told herself as she stepped back out into the cold wind.

As fate would have it, turning around and chatting a bit probably would have saved her the dry cleaning bill she would eventually be left with. No more than an hour later, her own nose unwisely buried in her cell phone checking for messages, she collided with a short wall that came up to no higher than her nose, a sudden frigid wetness spreading across her chest. "Merde!"

"Holy Watershed!"

Delphine looked down at her top, the huge orange splash easily spreading through the light material. It was cold and sticky and growing by the second. She quickly pulled it away from her body, remembering she wasn't wearing a bra under her top.

In a move that was counter-actively absurd, the shop girl quickly pulled out a stack of napkins, beginning to dab at the spot, completely unphased by the fact that the blonde's very sensitive anatomy were just one thin, damp layer of material away.

"Non! Leave it!" Delphine winced at the sound of anger in her tone when the brunette jumped.

"Fuck, I'm so sorry." Cosima shook the orange juice off her hands, wincing. "You should...my apartment is like, right across the street."

"I just need to get back to the car." Delphine shook her head, pulling the damp and sticky shirt away from her skin again. "I can change in the car."

Cosima nodded. "I have a bathroom. It's probably not even dirty I mean the last thing you want is someone seeing you changing in your car." She was babbling, obviously set on trying to make amends. "Seriously, it's like right across the street and I'm not like a crazy stalker or anything but I have some clean towels and a bathroom if you want to change or something."

With the wet spot spreading almost across her entire front, Delphine weighed her options. She knew she had parked just a mile away, but the sun was getting lower in the sky and the breeze was carrying the chill from the bay with it right through her clothes. "Alright. Fine."

"It's like...um...yeah." Obviously not expecting the sudden agreement, Cosima led the way, almost in a panic as she rooted around in her pocket for the key to the townhouse. "I um..."

Stepping in, Delphine's eyes fell on every messy surface in the space. It was small, and quaint, and very much lived in.

"Sorry, my roommate is kinda messy. The bathroom is upstairs and first door on the left."

To the sound of what was obviously Cosima trying to "discreetly" tidy up the downstairs area, Delphine followed the directions up the stairs, avoiding the various pairs of shoes, books, and magazines on each step. The bathroom was clean at least, almost meticulously so and she couldn't help laughing at the absurdity between the spaces. Her shirt was ruined, there was no way around it, and she sighed softly as she slipped out of her clothes, pulling one of the clean towels off a nearby shelf to dab away the sticky mess. The only option of clothing she had was the dress she'd purchased from one of the shops near the book store. It was a sophisticated black and blue dress that ended just above her knees, hugging her body closely as if it had been custom made for her, something she rarely found off the rack considering her height. Pushing her sunglasses up onto her head, she dabbed at the orange juice splashes that had hit her neck. She was a mess and she really needed a shower, but this was going to have to do. With one final nod, she stuck her soiled outfit back in her shopping back and made her way downstairs.

Cosima looked up in surprise at the outfit but said nothing ."You have to let me make it up to you. Did you want something to drink? I have water, or some tea."

"Non."

Cosima wrinkled her nose, looking further into her fridge. "I doubt you want anymore orange juice. We've got some organic lemonade, if that's more your style. Or are you hungry? We've got like 20 types of olives. I'm not a big fan of them but my ex-girlfriend used to eat them and well...now I don't know what to do with them. Seems a shame to just throw them out."

A smile tugged at red lips. "Non."

"Or if you prefer, I can try to make some coffee. The French like coffee I think...I mean you guys came up with the word cafe and all. Or, I totally have some pot brownies...if that's your thing. I made them myself, or like if you hate pot heads then my roommate made them. He's got a terrible addiction that I've been trying to help him through."

Delphine just barely muffled a giggle in response before the expected "Non." came, her smile widening. There was something about the woman, quirky and full of life, that Delphine admired. Did the brunette know who she was? These days, as presumptuous as it sounds, she just assumed everyone did. If Cosima knew who she was, and she expected she did, she wasn't letting that get in the way. It was almost as if, despite the clumsiness and babbling which very well could be present in her every day behavior, it didn't matter. That was such a rare feeling for Delphine. These days, when her whole life was caught on camera whether she was getting paid for it or not, it was so rare to meet someone who was...open.

Cosima paused in her offerings, picking at the corner of one of the brownies and bringing a small chunk to her own lips. "Do you say 'non' to everything?" She mocked in an over-exaggerated French accent.

Now her smile turned almost sultry. "Non." She cleared her throat softly, suddenly realizing she shouldn't be standing there in the apartment of a complete stranger. "I should go. Thank you for letting me use your restroom."

"No, it was all my pleasure and kind of my fault. I just wanted to..." Cosima paused, a flustered look on her face. "While I had the chance to tell you this, since I know you won't be coming back into the shop after reading that horrible book, but you are...amazing." She smiled.

Delphine could see the sincerity in her eyes. "Merci."

Cosima escorted her to the door, pausing awkwardly as if not sure what to do.

Standing in the entryway, this close to the woman, she could feel something stirring inside her. When was the last time she'd been this close to a woman, letting her flirtatious side out, without feeling worried about her career? She couldn't even remember. The thrill of attraction unrestrained by the worry of cameras and reporters and a million questions was almost too much to hold back. "I guess I'll..." She gestured to the closed door.

"Yeah yeah." Cosima grinned. "Come over anytime you need to be wiped down." She paused, her cheeks suddenly inflamed with a deep blush. "Shit...I mean..."

Delphine took a step closer to her, just bare inches from the brunette. "I know what you mean." Being that close, smelling the intoxicating scent of her perfume, free of the eyes of the public, it was as if she couldn't stop herself. There was just something about the brunette and her mind seemed to shut down as hormones took over. Her hand came up slowly, caressing Cosima's cheek for a bare moment before pulling her forward for an unexpected kiss. The moment their lips touch, she instantly regretted it, and simultaneously felt no regret at all. How was that even possible?

She could feel Cosima freeze for a second, not surprisingly, but soon she responded in kind, her lips parting to let the demanding tongue in. A warm hand wrapped around Delphine's wrist as the other settled on her hip. Almost as quickly as it started, Delphine was pulling away, taking one last nip at her bottom lip.

Surprised at the sudden position she found herself in, Delphine took a step back, pulling down her sun glasses to cover her eyes. 'Merde merde merde.' Her brain chanted as she tried to reign in the thrill of excitement she felt coursing through her veins. "Um...it's best not to tell anyone about this."

Still in a state of shock, Cosima nodded, swallowing loudly. "I mean, I could but frankly who would believe me?" She scratched nervously at her dreads. "I mean, I might try to tell myself the story of all this, but honestly I probably won't even believe me."

Delphine nodded, not sure what else to do. "Ciao." She spoke softly before disappearing out the door. As she stepped out, she took a deep breath of air, trying to settle the sudden increase of her heartbeat and willing it to stop beating so quickly, or was she willing herself to not turn around?


	2. Chapter 2

"Hello?"

"Hey, Delphine? This is Cosima."

"Cosima…Cosima..."

"Um…from the book store? The orange juice? You left a message at the store saying to call you? How you had the instinct to know the exact moment I had to run out and get some fliers printed I don't know but of course you would call in the 5 minutes I was out."

A laugh. "I know who you are, Cosima. It was a joke."

"Oh…sorry my brain is not cooperating at the moment."

"It's my fault." A pause. "I was wondering if you could meet me this afternoon?"

There was a pause, long enough for it to border on awkward. "Really?" Came the small voice, finally.

"Unless you are too busy."

"No no…I'll totally be there." Came the rushed response. "When?"

"4 pm at the Mandarin. Come to the Oriental Suite."

"Yeah. Totally. I'll be there."

"If you have any problems, tell them you're there to see Miss Mulan."

"Seriously?"

"Oui. My security detail requires it. I'll see you this afternoon."

"Totally."

* * *

Delphine stared out the window, the Golden Gate Bridge in perfect view of the corner suite. It was currently 4:15 she was feeling her last nerve stomped on. It wasn't that she didn't want to be promoting her movie, but she didn't want to be promoting her movie. It was funny how lately her life seemed to be a series of directly conflicting emotions. She chewed on her thumbnail, thinking about the room full of reporters on the other side of the door, having already gone through over a dozen interviews. They were always the same questions. "What did you enjoy most about the film? Did you have to go on a diet? How did you find time to work out during the hectic shooting schedule? Was the accent hard to maintain for the entire length of the movie?"

"Isn't that horrible for your manicure?"

The voice brought a smile to Delphine's face as she turned to find Cosima standing awkwardly by the door, a pamphlet for the movie in one hand, and a bouquet of flowers in the other. "It is but makeup will fix it if they have to anyway." She swallowed down the sudden nervousness she felt, gesturing to the space beside her as she sat on the couch. "Please, sit."

Cosima nodded, handing her the bouquet as she sat down. "I brought these for you…not like you need more flowers." There was a nervousness behind her laughter as she scratched at the back of her neck, still holding onto the pamphlet.

"Non, they are beautiful." Delphine smiled at the small assortment of lilies and daisies. People always assumed she liked roses, but truthfully she never did. Daisies were her favorite, but she wasn't going to mention that. No. She was trying to fix this colossal mess she got herself into. "Thank you for coming."

"No…thank you for inviting me." Cosima was picking at the hem of the dress. "I also might have lied to your staff people outside and told them I'm from Scientific America. I had to get through a gauntlet of questions and sorry, I wasn't exactly sure what I was supposed to say."

"Non, it's my fault. This was all supposed to be done by now." Delphine shook her head in aggravation. "There was supposed to be a press conference in the morning but somehow everyone ended up here." She cleared her throat, trying to find the words she knew she had to say, willing her professionalism to take over as it normally did but finding that for some reason she couldn't put up her normal facade in front of the brunette that seemed to be watching her with open, honest eyes. "I wanted to apologize for my behavior earlier." The words were heavy in her mouth, not wanting to come out. "The kiss…it was not planned and completely over the line." She looked down at her hands, now folded neatly in her lap.

"You don't have to say anything." Cosima held a hand up to stop her. "I'm not going to tell anyone, that's totally uncool, but…you don't need to apologize either." She shook her head. "I don't want you to think that you have to apologize for it, so don't. I mean why apologize when it's not anything I wish didn't happen. It's all been pretty surreal, but in a nice way." She shook her head as if trying to clear her mind. "I mean this has all been kind of a dream...a good dream…like one where everything is going right and you never want to wake up, but you know you're dreaming."

Her head tilting to the side, Delphine smiled softly. "And if it were a dream? What would you do next?" It was as if her brain were shutting down and her heart was trying to take over all her functions. She knew she shouldn't be encouraging the situation. She was supposed to be putting her foot down, stopping all this before she got in a real mess, but all she could think of was the soft lips that had been pressed against hers, the sweet and herbal smell that seemed to follow the brunette everywhere, and the faint memory of chocolate on her tongue. All she could think was that here, in this room, with just the two of them, there were no boundaries. She wasn't a Hollywood star. Cosima wasn't a shop girl. They were just two women, sitting in a hotel room, enjoying the privacy of each other's company and the memory of a shared kiss.

Cosima's nose scrunched as she reached up to straighten her glasses, a thoughtful look on her face. "I don't know…I mean in a dream, I would be the bold one. I guess I would…" She was looking at Delphine's lips as if they were the most interesting thing in the world.

There it was again. Delphine couldn't stop herself. They were leaning closer to each other, an almost animal magnetism forcing their bodies together.

Just then the door opened, a tall and lanky man entering. "How's everything going?"

Having sat straight back up, Delphine smiled painfully. "Everything's fine, Aldous. Thank you." It had to be a sign. No, they could never be alone together. Not in her profession. There would always be cameras, always be newspapers and reporters. There would always be a million reasons why she wouldn't be able to do this.

"You're from Scientific America?" He spoke as he absentmindedly grabbed some paperwork from one of the tables, not really paying attention.

"That's right." Cosima laughed nervously.

"Splendid! I'm sure Miss Cormier has a great deal of knowledge to impart on you. She researched her role for months in preparation!"

"So she was saying." Cosima shifted uncomfortably.

"Don't forget to ask Miss Cormier about her newest film she will start filming next month in Hawai'i." He said, leaning over the table to sign a few documents.

Delphine was trying not to sigh. She could feel it in the back of her throat but she didn't want to be disrespectful of her manager. He had been her manager for years and a majority of her fame came with his assistance. She just wished he would leave.

Cosima seemed to be delighted by this news, or at least willing to play the part of the intrigued reporter. "Hawai'i huh?" She grinned widely at that. "And does this one take place in space as well?"

"Non." Delphine shook her head. "It's on a submarine. Well it starts in a submarine, but it's really about survival on an island after a crash with one other survivor." She grimaced at that, trying to hide it from her manager who wasn't paying attention anyway.

"Ah! A tale of adventure and of course eventually a love story." Cosima stuck her tongue out at that.

Both women watched as the tall man left the room as quickly as he entered, closing the door behind him.

"I am so sorry ab..." Delphine was surprised as her words were cut off by a kiss, this one initiated by the brunette who was suddenly pressed against her. It wasn't like the first. The shop keeper held back nothing, the kiss so far from timid and innocent that Delphine felt her own heart hammering in her chest. Against her better judgement, she sunk into it, feeling the heat of the woman's palms against her neck, pulling her closer. She wanted this. She wanted to fall into the warmth of her embrace and the softness of her lips. She wanted those hands to trace the length of her body, just as she wanted to slip her own hands up the patterned dress in exploration. Despite all these things, she pulled away, her own hand flat against the woman's collarbone. "Cosima...I can't."

Cosima licked her lips, moving back just slightly. "I know." She shook her head, the grin still not leaving her lips. "I probably shouldn't have done that."

Delphine nodded, clearing her throat. "My life...it's very complicated. I cannot just..." Her confidence was shaking. This close to the woman, with just the two of them, it was hard to reign back the desire.

"I know I know." Now the grin faltered. "You're this big star, always the female lead in Hollywood's next romcom. You can't just run off for a night on the town with some random townie let alone a female one."

Delphine laughed at that. "That is exactly it." She reached out, pushing one of the brunette dreads behind Cosima's ear. They were softer than she thought they would be, more flexible. "You are everything I should be avoiding." She paused to caress the soft cheek, running her thumb against the smooth skin for just the barest of moments before pulling her hand away, the fear that someone might enter at any time taking over.

Cosima seemed to take that in, nodding with a serious look until "Are you busy tonight?"

"Yes." The answer was automatic. She was always busy. Tilting her head, Delphine felt the smile spreading slowly across her face. "However, it doesn't seem so important anymore." It was true. Cosima was everything she should be avoiding. So why was she doing this? Why was she allowing something other than her common sense to direct her actions?

A grin. "Cool." Suddenly her grin fell and Cosima slapped herself in the forehead. "Shit. Actually I forgot I have to go to a birthday party...dinner...thing."

Raising her eyebrows, Delphine thought about that. This shop girl was so...normal. As if standing here in a hotel room asking one of Hollywood's most demanded actresses out on a simple date was something of a day to day occurrence. No, that wasn't it. Forget the Hollywood part. She was just asking another woman out on a date. Everything else didn't seem to matter. "Okay."

"No." Cosima shook her head. "I'm sure I can cancel. Birthdays happen every year."

The woman's babbling was endearing. It took everything in her to not kiss her again, because quite frankly she was adorable. Delphine brought her hands up to capture her face again. "Non, I mean okay I would like to go with you as your date...if you don't mind." She watched the look of disbelief spread across her face.

"You want to be my date for my sisters' birthday party?" She scrunched her nose up as a huge grin replaced the disbelief. "I have to warn you. Making out with complete strangers aside, of the three of us, I'm the tame one. My brother-in-law Donnie is cooking and he's like the worst cook on the planet."

Tracing a lip with her thumb, Delphine grinned. What the hell was she doing? "I have about half a dozen more interviews to get through. This was supposed to be done by now. Will you wait for me?" She shouldn't be doing this. She shouldn't be cancelling important interviews to go to a birthday dinner. It was absurd.

Cosima shook her head, quickly commenting. "How about I go home and get changed? Will you be done in an hour?"

Delphine nodded, giving in to the tugging in her gut and leaning forward for another short kiss. "Ok." She straightened just before the door opened, Aldous stepping in with his smile that always seemed fake.

"Time's up, I'm afraid. Can't keep the others at bay."

As they both stood up, Delphine cleared her throat. "Please let Mr. Cartright and Miss Dimarco know that I will need to reschedule our meeting tonight. I will be otherwise detained." She licked her lips before smiling. "Also please make sure this is over in 45 minutes." She nearly laughed at the look on the man's face, one of panic and horror masked by strict professionalism.

Cosima hid a grin. "It was a pleasure, Miss Cormier." She offered her hand to the blonde.

"The pleasure was all mine." Slipping her own hand into the brunette's, she gently tugged her closer, placing a chaste kiss on each cheek. "Till we meet again."


	3. Chapter 3

After insisting on stopping for gifts for Cosima's siblings, Delphine had her driver drop them off at the shop keeper's apartment, the intention being to walk to her sister's place. As it turned out, Cosima's sister lived not far from the bookstore and Cosima's own apartment. "So both of your sisters' birthdays are today?" Delphine held the two presents in her hand, brightly wrapped in paper and bows, courtesy of the small boutique she'd purchased them at. She turned her eyes to Cosima who was walking beside her, dressed in a sleeveless maroon dress and patterned stockings, a bright red pea-coat covering the ensemble.

"That's what happens when you share a womb I guess." A grin danced across Cosima's face as she swung the gift bags in her own hand carelessly as they walked, nearing the two story townhouse where one of her sisters lived. More than once Cosima's eyes had lingered on the blonde's form, taking in her knee high leather boots, black pencil skirt and white sleeveless top, a small smile tugging at her lips every time she found herself caught. "Except for me of course. Even as kids they would brag that their birthdays were together but mine wasn't until the next day...bitches."

Delphine was in the process of tugging her own coat closed when she heard that, her mind connecting the dots within seconds. She stopped in her tracks, waiting for Cosima to turn to her in question. "Mon Dieu. You are triplets? Are you saying it is your birthday as well?"

Cosima gave her what Delphine was beginning to consider her signature smirk. "Not till tomorrow. I'm pretty much always late, even being born I guess."

Looking down at the presents, Delphine turned a horrified look on the brunette who seemed to be in a joyous mood. "I didn't get you a present." She felt the dread filling her at the thought. The brunette had helped her pick out the gifts, a knitted sweater for one sister, and a bottle scotch for the other. Why wouldn't the woman tell her that her own birthday was coming the very next day?

Cosima, on the other hand, seemed to be unphased by it. She was rewarded with a roll of dark hazel eyes. "I've already got the best present ever." At Delphine's confused look, she added "I got a kiss from American's sweetheart."

Heat erupted across Delphine's cheeks, accompanying a bright pink tint that stood out against her normally pale skin. "I am not even American, Cosima." There was just something about the way Cosima spoke, it was so natural to her. Delphine envied her. It was as if she lived her life with nothing to hide.

"Doesn't matter. Still got a kiss, which I might add...super hot." When she smiled, her tongue peeked out from between her teeth, her laugh soft yet infectious. "If you ever feel like giving me more of those presents, I'm so down."

Shaking her head, Delphine followed her up the stairs. She would have to make it up to her. Maybe she could slip off to the bathroom and order something, but what would she order? "Did you tell them I was coming?"

"Nope!" Cosima rang the doorbell, a slight bounce in her step as they waited. "It'll be fine, don't worry."

Delphine blew out a long breath. She just hoped that this wasn't a disaster. She felt she could trust the brunette, despite having only met her days before. The door suddenly opened, a tall man wearing an apron waving them in.

"Come in come in, dinner is burning."

Watching the man's back disappearing down the hallway, Delphine looked at Cosima who just shrugged before leading the way in. She shucked her coat and hung it beside Cosima's, taking in the quaintly decorated hallway.

"Hey Cosima! Come on in, Donnie is just burning the hens." A voice called from the end of the hall.

As the presents were taken from her and set on a table, she followed the woman into the living area. The last thing she expected when they rounded the corner was a woman in a wheelchair. Her face, although less carefree, was the same as Cosima's. Everything else was completely different, from the lack of glasses to the straight hair with neatly trimmed bangs and down to the suburban attire.

"Hey, Alison. Happy Birthday." Cosima leaned down into a hug. "I hope you don't mind, I brought a friend."

Peeking around her sister, Alison's eyes lit up. "Good heavens. You look exactly like..."

"Alison, this is Delphine." Cosima cut her off. "Delphine this is my sister Alison, one of whom's birthday is today."

There was an awkward silence as Delphine felt the hand that had taken hers in a handshake slack slightly. "It is a pleasure to meet you. Happy Birthday." She smiled, attempting to lighten the mood.

"The pleasure is all mine." Alison smiled a tight-lipped smile and looked at her sister with the obvious question in her eyes.

"Well the hens may be a little well-done." Donnie wiped his hands on his apron as he entered the room. "Hey Nerd." He enveloped Cosima in a brotherly hug.

"Hey D. This is Delphine."

Donnie turned to her, a hand reached out. "Hello Delphine...Cormier." His eyes doubled in size as he looked between her and Cosima. He had that familiar look in his eyes that she had seen so many times before. To his credit, once the initial shock wore off he didn't make a big deal out of it. "Wine?"

Delphine just laughed and nodded. "Yes thank you." It was surprising that they seemed to know exactly who she was yet their reactions were very subdued in comparison to how they could have been.

Suddenly the front door burst open on it's own, followed by "Hello Dragsters!" Delphine looked at Cosima to see if they should be worried. What she got was a beaming smile.

"You will not believe the traffic coming over the bleedin' bridge. I would have...Holy Fuck!" The slim man dressed in a long black leather trench coat stopped in his tracks when his eyes fell on Delphine.

Cosima laughed, a sound that brought a calming sensation over Delphine. "Delphine, this is Felix, a long time family friend and when I can get him to show up he works in the store with me. Felix, this is Delphine. Stop scaring her."

"Holy shite." He stepped forward, stopping just inside Delphine's bubble of personal space. "I can't believe it." He took her hand and shook it. "I'm sure you've heard this before but I am such a fan of your work and I must say that you are stunning. Seriously who does your hair."

"Well...there are several people that do, but thank you." Delphine looked at Cosima for help. She caught the look of mischief in the brunette's eyes, sensing it was something she expected. She also gathered that she was going to receive no help whatsoever.

"Well it's amazing. You can ask anyone here but I have always thought we were kindred spirits." He still held onto her hand, hugging it to his chest. "I always believed that you and I could be the absolute best friends."

Trying not to let the shock show, Delphine put a smile on her face. Apparently this close friend of Cosima's was overcome with more excitement than the entire group combined. She laughed nervously. "Lucky me."

As if sensing her discomfort, Cosima laughed, finally grabbing him by the arm and pulling him away. "Ok, stop, Fe. Where's Sarah?"

"Get your mitts off me." Felix pulled his arm away. "Sarah is in her usual shite-storm and will be here when she gets here." He thrust the bottle that was wrapped in just the brown bag it came in towards Alison. "Here, happy birthday."

As if on queue the front door burst open. "You guys just leaving your front door open all the time? Any asshole could just walk in." A woman in a leather jacket strolled in, full of confidence and attitude.

If there was a complete opposite of Cosima, this woman was it. Although there were the facial features that were shared by all three women, her broodish attitude and tougher demeanor were in complete contrast to the carefree openness that Delphine had begun to associate with the shopkeeper.

"Hey, Nerd." Sarah punched Cosima in the shoulder before pulling her into a one armed hug. Her eyes fell on Delphine, looking her over speculatively. "This the new girlfriend?"

"No no." Cosima laughed. "Just a friend. Sarah, this is Delphine. Delphine, this is my very irritating, and I must say the oldest of the three of us, Sarah."

Delphine smiled as her hand was shook a little harder than she expected. "Nice to meet you."

"You too." Dropping her hand, Sarah reached for a glass and filled it with Scotch absentmindedly.

There was a silence as the small group of people looked between Delphine and Sarah, obviously expecting a little more of a reaction. Looking over at Cosima, Delphine nearly laughed at the confused look on her face.

Sarah looked at the group who was still watching her. "What?" She mumbled, the glass half tipped towards her mouth.

With a shake of her head, Cosima was now grinning, all pointed teeth and tongue peeking out from behind. This was apparently the whole group and Delphine was content just leaning against the counter, sipping the red wine that was smooth and not too tart. She was fine being more on the outside, so used to being the center attention. It was obvious that this was a close family by the way that they joked and reminisced. Delphine herself had grown up an only child sent off to boarding schools, so this was definitely a pleasant surprise.

"So, Delphine, what do you do?" Sarah appeared in front of her, catching her watching Cosima tormenting Alison by unfolding all the linen napkins.

Delphine rose her eyebrows in surprise. "Well, I'm an actress."

"Ah, one of those." Sarah laughed into her drink. She had ditched her leather jacket and was wearing a torn up Clash shirt. "Are you any good? Plenty of actresses around here, but I hear it's a shit job to try to make a living on. Had a friend that would only make like a grand a month, if even that."

"I don't think I'm very good, but others seem to disagree. It can be a tough business." Delphine tried not to laugh at the absurdity of the conversation. She caught Cosima watching them out of the corner of her eye and nearly lost track of what the woman was saying.

"What sort of acting do you do?"

Delphine straightened up, refocusing on this alternative version of her date. "Oh, I've done a few appearances on television, commercials, you know, but mostly I do films."

Surprise evident in her expression, Sarah's eyebrows spiked up. "No shit. Is there a lot of money in films? How much did you get for your last role?"

There was a small internal debate about whether to be truthful or not before she settled on telling the truth. "27 million dollars." She knew it was the right decision by the stunned expression on the woman's face.

A silence fell between them that lasted long enough to start being awkward. Luckily Donnie appeared. "Dinner's ready!"

It broke the silence. "Alright! What did you burn for us tonight, D?" Sarah laughed as she dropped into a seat.

Dinner was...interesting to say the least. It was Cosima who had accidentally clued Sarah in to who Delphine was and a small food fight had ensued between the two, resulting in Alison's shrill voice attempting to rise above the yells of her two sisters. The food wasn't too bad. A vegetarian, Delphine simply pushed the hen around on the plate to make it look like she had eaten it, but the wild rice and roasted squash were actually quite delicious. She had looked over at Cosima's plate to see a similar set up and she couldn't help but wonder if the hen was that awful.

Cosima was intriguing to watch. When it had been just the two of them, she was a bit more reserved, either shy or nervous. Of course that smile was always there, lighting up her entire face, but around her sisters, it was like she let all her inhibitions drop and she was telling horrible jokes, reliving childhood memories, and teasing her sisters mercilessly while refraining from being cruel. They made sure to include her in their conversation, never making her feel like the odd woman out. It was a surprisingly delightful meal and she found herself laughing more than once at the child-like antics.

As desserts were had and gifts were opened, Delphine was sad to see the night drawing to a close. She had given Cosima a threatening look as she was pulled into a tight hug by Felix. Thankfully a shorter hug was exchanged with Alison and a handshake with Sarah and Donnie. It wasn't long before she and Cosima were walking together down the quiet street. "Your family is lovely, Cosima."

With a small smirk, Cosima shrugged. "They're alright. We're kind of a rough bunch but I love 'em." Her smirk turned into a full grin as she turned her hazel eyes up to catch Delphine's eyes. "They loved you. I thought Sarah was going to kill me for not telling her who you were." She laughed.

"Your sister Alison..." She found herself stalling on the question she'd been wondering all evening. "How did she end up in the chair?"

Cosima's smile faltered just slightly. "Well, she slipped down some stairs over a year ago. She hasn't been able to walk since." She shrugged.

They walked in companionable silence, both women comfortable just being in each other's company. Delphine smiled, looking up as they reached Cosima's door. "So..." She bit her bottom lip as she looked at the brunette who rocked on her heels. "Did you have plans tomorrow?"

Cosima tilted her head to the side, a questioning look on her face masked with a smile. "I thought you were leaving tomorrow."

"I was." Delphine shrugged. It was true. She had plans to fly out the next day, but suddenly she didn't feel like it was that important to keep to her plans. "Did you have plans for tomorrow?"

With a smirk, Cosima shook her head before turning to look at her door. "Did you want to come in? I've got some tea...or coffee. You can wait for your driver."

Delphine thought about it. Coffee was never just coffee after a date and she wasn't really sure what her stance was on the idea.

It had to be evident on her face because Cosima was leaning closer suddenly, whispering. "I'm not trying to pressure you into anything. For serious, we can just chill in the kitchen waiting for your driver."

This close, the scent of the sweet perfume played havoc on her senses and she found herself leaning towards the brunette almost instinctively. She nodded, following her up the stairs and into the apartment.

"Don't worry about my roommate. He's not here, he's..."

Just seconds after the door closed, Delphine captured the shorter woman's face in her hands, pulling her forward in a kiss. Whether it was the three glasses of wine she'd had, or just the simple bliss of an enjoyable night, Delphine was feeling unusually reckless. She felt the heat of hands on her waist, pushing her backwards and against the cool surface of the door as the smaller form rose up to meet her kiss, an arm snaking around her neck to pull her lower. It was odd, the softness of the woman's body, the smaller form, the way her arm wrapped completely around the strong yet slim waist. She'd only been with one other woman before, and they had been almost the same height. This was a pleasant change. Even as the tongue traced her lips, daring her to go further, she found no aggression, no demanding presence making her feel uncomfortable. She lost herself completely in the contact.

Or at least she wanted to if not for the fact that Cosima was gently pulling away, untangling herself from the blonde's arms. She caught the small smile on the brunette's face as she steps away, taking a deep breath.

"Ok..." Cosima licked her lips, laughing nervously as she hung her coat on the hook near the door. "Coffee? It is a little late though. I don't know about you but coffee this late and I'm wired all night so..."

Delphine had to smile at that, removing her own coat and adding it to the wall. "Coffee would be great."

Taking a deep breath as she led the way to the kitchen, Cosima retrieved the coffee and filters. "You know...I'm not complaining, but if you keep kissing me like that, I think I might start believing you like me." She winked before turning to the machine.

"Well, we can't have that now can we?" Delphine slipped onto one of the chairs at the table. "You were saying about your roommate?"

Cosima paused in the middle of retrieving mugs, a confused look on her face for just a moment. "Oh, yeah...before I was so rudely interrupted." She set the cups down with a shrug. "Tony is pretty much never here." She retrieved the creamer and sugar, setting down before reaching over to break a piece off of one of the brownies that still sat on the table. "He's very much a social butterfly. Don't get me wrong, I can party like the best of 'em, but 99% of the time, I'd rather stay in with a book."

"Same, but I don't get the chance often." Delphine watched as the brunette nodded before reaching for the coffee and pouring each a cup. She shook her head at the offering of cream and sugar, preferring the bite of black coffee. Taking a sip, she rose an eyebrow. It was...horrible. She looked at Cosima who took a sip, wrinkled her nose, and poured sugar and cream in.

As if sensing being watched, Cosima looked up, her face breaking into an easy grin. "Sorry, I don't know how to make coffee. That's what Starbucks is for." The woman must have seen Delphine's cringe because she laughed. "Not a fan of chain coffee places?"

Delphine shrugged. "As you mentioned earlier, I'm French. We have high coffee standards." She took another sip, just a bit disappointed it didn't get any better. "If you had the correct equipment, I would make you a proper cup." She smiled over the rim of her mug. "Maybe some day."

Cosima grinned. "Some day." She looked down into her cup. "Hey um, thanks for coming with me tonight. I'm sorry my family is kind of crazy."

"Don't apologize. They were wonderful." Delphine set her cup down, leaning her elbows on the table. "I don't often get to do something so normal. I'm an only child and I do not have a close relationship with my parents, so it was quite a treat."

"No rambunctious food fights then while you were growing up?"

Delphine laughed, shaking her head. "Non. I spent most of my childhood in a boarding school run by Catholic nuns. It would have been quite the scandal." Normally people expressed a somewhat sympathy for that statement but not Cosima. Delphine watched as a sexy smile slowly creeped across her face, her thoughts far from pure.

"Catholic school girl huh?" Cosima leaned back in her seat, crossing one leg over the other as she cradled her mug in her hands. "Like did you have one of those cute uniforms with a pleated skirt?" She twitched her eyebrows suggestively.

"Ah, Cosima, you would not think I was so cute in grade school." She bit her bottom lip. Just the memory of her awkward years was enough to make her cringe internally. "My hair was a big puff ball and I wore these huge glasses. I did not mature fully until I was closer to 18."

Cosima laughed at that. "No way. I don't believe you. You were probably super hot and just didn't know it." Setting her mug down she leaned forward with purpose. "Did you get a boyfriend once you filled out?"

Delphine shook her head, thinking about high school with a bit of dread. "Non. No boys at the school. I also wasn't very interested." She smiled a tight lipped smile. School had been quite an awkward experience for her and she tried not to dwell on her younger years. She didn't want to even mention that her first boyfriend wasn't until she was 20 and appointed to her by her agent after the first movie she did. She decided, instead, to take the attention off of herself. "So, what about you? You seem like you were the popular kid in class, not in the prom queen way, but more in the 'everyone loves you because you're so adorable and willing to help anyone and everyone' sort of way."

"What?" Cosima laughed at that. "Oh my god, this vision you have of me." She shook her head. "No, I was a total nerd." She adjusted her position, smoothing her dress over her thighs. "I was a super nerd so obsessed with school, but on the plus side Sarah was always there to beat up anyone who dared pick on me." She grinned.

"Good for her." They sat in companionable silence, Delphine taking small sips from the coffee as Cosima traded sips and bites of brownie. It was an oddly pleasant experience. She would be looking into her coffee and look up to find the dark hazel eyes watching her. Cosima would smile and she would feel her own lips stretch into a smile on their own accord. The exchange bounced back and forth for a few minutes, neither finding the need to speak.

Cosima finally broke the silent taboo, clearing her throat. "Did you want to call your driver?"

Tilting her head to the side, Delphine smiled. That wasn't the question was it? The question really was where did she want the night to go? She bit her bottom lip and shook her head slowly, watching the grin spread across Cosima's face. "Did you want me to?"

The grin still present, Cosima shook her head, inching her chair forward.

"Good." Delphine looked up at the clock on the wall, noticing the time. "Because if I am not mistaken, it's now your birthday." She inched her own chair closer, so close she could feel the heat radiating off the brunette. "Do you know what is a very French thing to do on your birthday?"

Cosima was leaning forward, obviously willing to partake in this dance. "What's that?"

Reaching up to caress a soft cheek, Delphine pulled her forward, closing the distance between their lips. The kiss started off tentative, sending a thrill through her body and settling in her gut. A warm hand fell on her thigh and she pressed closer. It wasn't like anything she'd felt before. The hand on her thigh was currently raking short nails down her unusually sensitive skin, almost drawing a moan from her with the simplest of contact. There was a rush of arousal that followed almost instantly, surprising her with its intensity.

Cosima backed off a bit, nipping at her lips. "Is this ok?" Another nip and she was taking a breath. "Are you ok?"

It was absurd what the brunette was asking. Why wouldn't she be ok? Delphine nodded, attempting to catch her breath.

"Are you sure? You seem a little..."

Delphine silenced her with another kiss, both hands cradling the woman's face. She felt the smile against her lips, the smaller form shifting forward. She wanted to feel the warmth of the woman's body against her own, but their positions were causing a bit of a problem. As if sensing the dilemma or growing tired of it herself, Delphine soon found her lap straddled by the other woman. Whether there was an intention to keep things slow or not, it was thrown out the door as her body soaked in the warmth provided by the brunette. Her own hands traveled the down length of the lithe form, over the bottom of the dress that was hiked up to accommodate her position until her hands met the rough texture of patterned stockings.

There were a million reasons why she shouldn't be doing this. A million reasons with cameras and microphones that would love to remind her of why she shouldn't do this. There were, however, two lips breaking off from her own, traveling down her neck and giving her one good reason for why she should. She wanted to. God she wanted to so bad. Her body was on fire and all she wanted was those hands against her bare skin. Teeth nipped at her earlobe and she exhaled in a shuddered breath. "Merde."

Cosima chuckled, leaning back just enough to look into Delphine's eyes, her fingers combing through blonde curls. "God you are gorgeous."

In her profession, there were so many people lining up to tell her how beautiful she was, but none of those past times felt as sincere as this did. Dark hazel eyes were focused on her own with such an intensity that she felt it pulling her in, daring her to take what the brunette was offering. Her hands slipped up strong thighs and around her waist, pulling Cosima forward. "You are the gorgeous one."

Leaning forward, Cosima brushed her lips against Delphine's, not pushing to deepen the contact. "I really want to continue this, but...not here." She bumped her nose against the blonde's. "If I were to go upstairs to my very comfortable bed, would you join me?"

Delphine smiled, nodding. There was no other possible answer to the question. "It is your birthday after all." Lips met hers again in a quick kiss before her lap was suddenly empty. She only had a second to lament over that before a hand grabbed her own, tugging her up. She allowed herself to be led up the stairs, her eyes firmly planted on the body in front of her. When they reached the top of the stairs, she wrapped her arms around the woman's waist from behind, her lips finding the soft skin of her neck.

Cosima groaned as they stumbled together into her bedroom, kicking the door shut as she spun around and her lips were instantly captured.

From what she could see between bruising kisses and undressing hands, the room was half a mess and all charm. Her top found it's way over a vintage lamp with a patterned shade. Shoes piled together near the dark stained bookshelf littered with old books and small figurines. A maroon dress joined a black pencil skirt draped over the padded bench near the window. Finally leggings and underwear pooled on the colorful rug beneath their feet before two forms fell onto the bed.

Delphine looked down the length of the brunette's body, her fingertips following her eyes. Cosima seemed content to let her explore, a soft chuckle coming from the storekeeper when her hands grazed over ribs. She paused, repeating the brush until a hand covered her own.

"No tickling." Cosima smiled, leaning forward to brush her lips against Delphine's. "Have you ever...with a woman?" She asked a little awkwardly.

"Yes." Delphine intertwined her fingers with Cosima's, trading soft kisses until Cosima pulled back.

"Really?" There was an incredulous look on her face. "When was..."

Delphine rolled her eyes before cutting her off with a kiss. She didn't want to talk about past lovers. She wanted to focus on the here and now, the beautiful American in bed beside her. Soft lips and a hot tongue pulled her in, distracting her momentarily before she noticed her hand being dragged lower, the brunette's patience obviously worn thin. As her fingertips dipped into slick heat, she broke off the kiss, trailing soft bites down the woman's neck. One hand tangled in her hair as she moved to cover the smaller form, pressing two fingers deeper just as she pulled a nipple into her mouth.

"Holy watershed." Cosima bit her bottom lip at the sudden presence, her body moving against the fingers, her nails leaving crescent marks on Delphine's pale shoulder.

There was a part of her that wanted to tell the woman not to leave any marks. She had to do an interview in a couple of days, but as the trails of fire moved across the skin of her back...she groaned loudly. Who cared about the interview? A thigh slipped between her own and she shuddered, the rocking caused by hips still moving against her fingers creating a delicious friction.

A tug on her hair and she moved up, her lips instantly captured in a kiss, teeth raking over her bottom lip. It was slow and deliberate, sending a chill down her back and igniting her inner being. Yes she had been with a woman before, but it had been so long ago. She didn't remember it being this intense, or the emotions that crashed over her. As she pulled away, she moaned softly, kissing a path to the brunette's neck. "J'ai envie de toi." She whispered, her mind unable to find the English words she wanted to convey. She bit down on the skin there, nails pressing deeper into her skin as she felt the muscles around her fingers tightening. No, she didn't remember feeling this connected to someone, not knowing where she ended and the other woman began.

Cosima hissed softly, her head tilting to the side, giving her more room to lavish with kisses and bites.

It was almost childish, but Delphine gleefully sucked at the skin she found there, possessively marking the tan skin with bright red marks she knew would darken over the next hour or so. She'd never say the words out loud, not after just knowing the woman for a few days, but she wanted her to be hers and hers alone. She could feel the hips beginning to lose it's rhythm, the brunette's thrusting bordering on desperate. The look of complete pleasure on her face, Delphine had never seen anything so beautiful in her life. Her thumb sought out the small bundle of nerves as she returned her mouth to a nipple, her tongue circling the nubby flesh before flicking over it.

"Shit." Cosima's back arched into the new sensations, sounds that were half whimpers, half moans emerging from her throat. Delphine kept the pace and it wasn't long before she felt the muscles clamp down around her fingers and nails bit into her shoulders so hard she wondered if they drew blood.

"Holy fuck." As the trembling subsided, Cosima's chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath. Her body twitched with aftershocks as she came down from the high. "Best...birthday...ever." She locked her fingers in blonde hair, already bruised lips brushing against each other. "God you are amazing."

Delphine let her forehead press against the brunette's, looking down into dark hazel eyes that were sparkling with life. There were no walls there, just complete openness. She could feel hands sliding over her body, nails replaced by tender caresses. A hand covered one of her breasts, squeezing just slightly, almost to gauge her reaction. When the other hand slipped between her thighs and she felt the sudden jolt of pleasure at the exploring fingers, she closed her eyes, savoring the feeling. "Ca fait du bien." She brushed her nose against the woman's, her lips trembling slightly as she stole a quick kiss.

She wasn't ready to give up her control though. Grabbing the hand from between her legs, she grinned, placing soft kisses on the fingertips that she could taste herself on. "Je veux te lécher des hanches jusqu'aux pieds." She whispered, releasing the hand and beginning the slow journey down the body now slick with a thin layer of sweat. There was no doubt that the brunette understood her intentions as hands moved to her shoulders, pressing her down, guiding her to exactly what she wanted.


	4. Chapter 4

Delphine blew out a long stream of air, her fingers digging into the pillow she was resting her chin on. "Merde." The word slipped out as soft lips brushed over the small of her back. It was late in the morning and they had yet to fully emerge from the bedroom for anything except the need of the bathroom. Cosima was currently straddling her thighs, tracing patterns across her naked back.

"You know..." Lips smiled against her back. "You slip back into French during sex."

Delphine felt her cheeks burning. "No I don't." She tried to think about the night before. Surely she hadn't reverted back into French.

"Mmmhmmm." Cosima laughed. "I mean it's totally hot, but I had no idea what you were saying last night."

Delphine felt hands slipping over her back, gently massaging the muscles there in what was an odd combination of relaxing and arousing. "I did not notice I was doing it." She smiled. "I must have had my mind on other things."

Slipping off her thighs, Cosima laughed, laying beside her on the bed. "That you did." She had a grin that lit up her face. "I'm finding it quite surreal that I get to see you naked." As if to prove her point, she lifted up the sheet, wiggling her eyebrows with a smirk.

Surreal indeed. Delphine laughed at that. "You and anyone that's seen some of my earlier French films."

"Ha ha." Cosima propped her head up on her elbow, a completely adorable look on her face. "True, but you are a far lovelier creature now."

Delphine gave her a curious look, biting her bottom lip. The way Cosima was looking at her, it was hard to concentrate. "Rita Hayworth used to say:'They go to bed with Gilda, they wake up with me.'" She reached out and intertwined her fingers with Cosima's. "Men went to bed with the dream, and woke up with the reality and didn't like what they saw." She brushed her lips across the woman's knuckles. "Do you feel that way?"

Cosima smiled, wrinkling her nose. "You are far more beautiful this morning, than you have ever been."

The answer was perfect. Everything about this moment was perfect. She wanted to live forever in this moment, in this perfection that seemed untouched by the outside world. "What am I doing with you?" She reached out, caressing the length of her neck, her thumb tracing the line of her jaw.

That smile that seemed to light up her face and the entire room never wavered. "Anything you want."

There was just something about that smile. "I'll be right back." Slipping out of bed, she tried to not let the lingering gaze distract her as she grabbed the robe from the back of the door, slipping out of the room and heading to the kitchen. She wasn't really the domestic type, but she could make coffee and toast. She located some wheat bread easily, dropping 2 slices in the toaster as she found some jam. She was in the process of mixing Cosima's coffee when arms slipped around her waist. "Cosima, I was going to bring it to you."

"You are so cute." Cosima chuckled, slipping around the tall frame and coming between her and the table. "Uh oh." Her hands slipped up to trace the purplish bruise on the blonde's neck. "Sorry."

Delphine smirked, her own hand coming up to trace a path of tiny red bites from the bottom of one ear and disappearing into the large t-shirt she wore. "I think I did worse to you." She pulled her close for a soft kiss, enjoying the light leisurely pace until there was a knock on the door. "Mmm, I'll finish making the toast, you get the door?"

"Ok."

Watching the brunette disappear down the hall, Delphine smiled, tending to the toast. She sipped the cup of coffee she'd poured for herself, thinking back on the previous night. It had been silly, impulsive, and beyond anything she thought possible. She felt as though she'd been turned inside out, her entire body subject to the shopkeeper's meticulous attentions. The front door slammed shut and she rose an eyebrow, looking down the hallway. Cosima was leaning against the wall, a strange look on her face. "What's going on?" She received no response from the surprised brunette and reached for the door.

"Delphine no!"

It was too late. When the door opened, Delphine was blinded by flashes, her ears assaulted by the yells of the huge crowd of reporters and cameras. All too late she slammed the door shut. "Mon Dieu." She was still in shock, not sure what just happened and she could feel her world crumbling down. There was a tightness in her chest making it impossible to breathe.

"Delphine."

Cosima's hand landed on her arm and it was like a hot iron. Delphine pulled away, instincts suddenly taking over. "Non! I...I have to get out of here." She ran back up the stairs, leaving the brunette behind her. She found her bag near the bed, her phone blinking with missed calls. The call to Aldous was quick. He knew better than to berate her or question her considering every other word out of her mouth was French. She was pulling her clothes on when Cosima came in the room.

"Delphine, where are you going?"

"Don't." She couldn't even look at Cosima. Any attachment she felt was washed away by the fear and dread she suddenly felt. One night and she had let her entire career go down the drain. "I have to get out of here."

"Delphine, it's going to be alright."

All Delphine could think was that they had gotten pictures. Cosima was standing there in just a t-shirt that was barely keeping her modest, bite marks evident against her tanned skin. She herself had just been in a robe, no doubt her skin in the same condition. "Merde." She tugged on her boots, the anger filling her. She made her way down the stairs, aware of the woman following her. "I can't do this. I'm straight. I have a boyfriend."

"What?"

With a shake of her head, Delphine ran a hand through her hair. "As far as they know." She didn't have time to explain her life or the supposed boyfriend that Aldous had set her up with. The one who she never saw, who she would never let touch her unless they were on a red carpet somewhere. Now she just looked like a cheater. A gay cheater. Her entire life was a lie and everyone was going to know it now.

"Delphine." Cosima grabbed her on arm, stopping her. "It's not that bad."

"Not that bad? Not that bad? It's easy for you to say, Cosima." Delphine could feel the her blood begin to boil. This woman who had no idea about the life she lived, she couldn't even imagine what she was going through. "This will probably be a benefit for you. Buy a boring book about parasites from the girl who fucked that famous French actress."

Cosima pulled back. "Don't be a bitch, Delphine. It's just fucking news. No one's even going to care tomorrow. It will blow over."

"Blow over?" Delphine slipped on her coat. "This is going to follow me for the rest of my life, Cosima. Anyone that searches my name will find this story." She saw Cosima take a step back but she was on a roll now. "Anytime I go in for an audition they will weigh whether this scandal will alter the public's perception of me as the lead female or not. This will affect me for the rest of my life. I will regret this for the rest of my life" The minute the words came from her mouth, she regretted it. All things considering, she didn't regret the night. She saw the look on Cosima's face and knew it was a mistake.

"You know what...you're right. I don't know the first thing about your life, but go ahead. Go back to your manager, and your movies and your busy life." Cosima shook her head. "You're right about that. You're a big star with a Summer home in Beverly Hills. I'm just some silly sales clerk from Telegraph Hill. We just don't mix, but forgive me if I don't spend the rest of my life regretting this." Her eyes seemed to shake with emotions, tears welling. "Have a nice life with your fake boyfriend pretending to be someone you're not." Cosima spun on her heels, running up the stairs and away from her.

Cosima's name froze on her lips as there was another knock on the door.

"Delphine it's me." Aldous's voice came through the door.

Casting a final look up the stairs, Delphine shook her head and turned her back on the apartment and the brunette that was already upstairs and in the confines of her bedroom. She should just leave. She needed to somehow fix her own life. She had been fine, living an uncomplicated life. She was lonely, but she kept busy and it didn't matter. Now there was no going back. She wouldn't be able to fix this. She wouldn't be able to fix anything.

As she opened the door a second time, Aldous was standing there and he quickly gathered her in his arms. Cameras flashed and microphones were shoved in her direction as her security made a path for the two of them. She couldn't even make out the questions there were so many. She couldn't hear any of them in the dark hole she could feel herself sinking into. Slipping into the waiting car, she didn't dare look at Aldous. She didn't want to see his disapproving look, not when the tears were so close to falling.

"Airport please." Aldous spoke in a business-like tone. "I have all of your bags. I think it's best if we just get out of California for a little bit."

Delphine didn't respond. She watched out the window as they passed the bookstore and then Alison's apartment, both soon joining Cosima's apartment in the rear view mirror as she was taken far away from the best and worst decision of her life.


	5. Chapter 5

Six months.

That was how long Delphine had let pass before she found herself walking down those same streets. Not much had changed except it was warmer now. That wasn't true. A lot had changed. She had changed completely, and yet she was still the same. When the photos had come out six months ago, she hadn't denied it. She hadn't denied anything. There had been turbulence at first, losing the role to the movie in Hawai'i, but landing another not much later. She had "broken up" with her "boyfriend," rumors of his own infidelities saving her from that particular embarrassment.

She had wanted to call. So many times she had picked up the phone, her fingers halfway through dialing a phone number before anxiety bore down on her, convincing her that the brunette didn't want to speak with her. Now here she was, six months later, standing outside the bookstore, a wrapped box in her hand. It took everything in her to swallow her fear, opening the door she'd walked through half a year ago and changed her life forever.

"We don't have any bleedin' Fifty Shades of Abusive Relationships shite. This is a science book store." Felix was facing off against an older woman who had a very put off look on her face. "You may want to try the mall. That shite is everywhere."

"You can't speak to me this way. Yelp will hear about this." The older woman huffed, pushing past Delphine on the way out of the store.

"What in gay hell are you doing here?" Felix's arms crossed over his chest, looking the blonde up and down. "Here to break Cosima's heart again as if once wasn't enough." He shook his head. "I thought we were best friends, you and I, and here you're nothing but another snobby git thinking your better than the likes of us."

Delphine sighed softly. She hadn't expected to run into the family friend and she really wasn't that interested in anything except speaking with Cosima. "I'm sorry Felix but is Cosima here? I would like to speak with her please...to give her something."

Felix's eyes slanted in distrust but he turned and went to the door that led to the back room, keeping the blonde in his side eyes. "Cosima! It's Delphine. She's got a package!"

Delphine looked at the bundle in her hand, feeling the weight of it. She'd had it in her home back in France, inherited from her grandfather's estate years ago. She'd kept it for sentimental reasons, remembering the Summers she'd spent with him, but she had enough memories. There was someone else who would appreciate it more than she needed the physical reminder of him. She looked up to find Cosima standing in the doorway, Felix slipping on his leather coat.

"You know, if Sarah were here, she'd kick your willowy ass." Felix commented as he passed her, slipping out the door.

Delphine stood there awkwardly, the brunette not moving from the doorway. "I um...I meant to call you a million times..." It sounded lame to her ears, and she was sure it sounded the same to the brunette.

"And yet you didn't." Cosima moved forward, her arms crossed over her chest defensively. "It's been six months, Delphine. Why are you here?"

"Because I..." Delphine paused, mentally chastising her own emotions. "How have you been?"

Leaning against the payment counter, Cosima tilted her head in question. "Same as always I suppose. I saw you won that best actress award. Certainly well-deserved."

Delphine's brow furrowed. "It's all just bullshit, Cosima. I could win a hundred awards and it wouldn't come close to the one thing I want most." She licked her lips before raising the gift. "I brought this for you. I had it in my home but when I saw it, it reminded me of you and I knew you would appreciate it." She took a step forward, holding it out. "I've had it on me while I've been filming for...a while now, but I didn't know how to call, having behaved so poorly."

Cosima stepped behind the counter as if she were trying to put some space between them, looking down at the package. "I'm not exactly sure what it's for, but thank you."

"The thing is..." Delphine watched as the brunette tugged at the ribbon. "We're done filming and I was leaving today, but I was wondering if I ... if I weren't leaving today, would you want to maybe spend some time together...maybe?" She looked down at the ground.

Cosima paused in her unwrapping, her eyes looking over the blonde. "Why would you want to do that?" She shook her head. "Look Delphine..." She leaned on the case, gathering her thoughts for a minute. "With you, I'm in real danger here. I have a tendency of losing myself completely, especially with someone as lovely as you, despite your god-awful temper, and I don't think I can deal with another broken heart if you decided you couldn't deal with this relationship again." She rested her hand on the still wrapped box. "You live in a world where everyone knows who you are. My own mother forgets which daughter I am sometimes."

"Ok..." Delphine put on a smile despite the fact that she could feel her heart breaking into a thousand pieces. She had known this was a possibility but still the breath was robbed from her lungs and she nodded. "You know, this fame thing, it's not real. I..." She could barely contain the emotions that were overrunning her entire being. "I'm not just an actress and you're not just a shop clerk." The tears were threatening to slip out and it was taking everything in her to hold them back. "I'm just a woman, standing in front of the one person that she's fallen for completely, begging to be loved back." A tear slipped out and she laughed, wiping it away, unable to focus on the eyes that were boring a hole into her. "I'm going to go." She turned, pausing for a long moment, her feet unwilling to move. When she finally took a step she heard the sound of crinkling paper. She was just about to open the shop door when a voice stopped her.

"Is this a first edition?" Cosima's voice was soft, confused.

Delphine reached up to wipe away her tears but didn't turn around. "Yes." She thought about the copy of Darwin's On the Origin of the Species. So many years she'd had it, and she knew there would be no way she could look at the book and not think of Cosima. "I'm not a scientist. I haven't even thought much of science since I was a teenager. I've had it for years and the way I see it, fate has trusted me to watch over it until it found it's proper home in you." She sniffled softly. When a hand landed on her arm, she jumped slightly, letting herself be turned toward the shorter woman.

Cosima frowned, reaching up to wipe away the tears. "Delphine, you can't buy my love with first editions." Her touch turned into a caress, a thumb tracing her lips. "You already have it." Pressing closer, she pulled Delphine down for a kiss.

Just as their lips connected there was a bright flash accompanied by a tapping on the store window.

At the sight of two men flashing pictures, Cosima pulled away. "Fuck this is..."

Delphine silenced her by pulling her back in for a deep kiss. She ignored the flashing lights, instead savoring the feeling of the arm slipping around her neck, wrapping her own arm around the woman's waist and pulling her closer. She wasn't going to let anyone ruin this moment.

Cosima broke off the kiss, leaning her forehead against Delphine's, a huge grin on her face. "You know, this is going to end up on the cover of every tabloid on the planet."

With a smile, Delphine caressed the woman's soft cheek, her other arm still holding her close. "Better make it count then." She bumped the shop keeper's nose softly before capturing her lips again, this kiss slow and leisurely, both taking their time to explore now that there were no boundaries and not a single reason to rush what would be the first of many kisses to come.


	6. Chapter 6

Epilogue

"Are you sure I look alright?" Delphine tugged at the dress. She ran her fingers over her stomach, wrinkling her nose that it wasn't as firm as it once was. One arm snaked around her waist as lips pressed against her bare shoulder.

"You look beautiful." Cosima gave her a one-armed hug before slipping in front of her. "I especially love this..." She shamelessly pressed a kiss against the revealed cleavage for a minute before she was pushed away playfully, both women very conscious of the bundle held in her other arm.

"Pervert." Delphine laughed. She leaned forward, placing a kiss on the woman's cheek. "You're lucky I like perverts."

A small cry alerted both woman and Cosima rolled her eyes, rocking the small bundle in her arm. "Sorry kiddo, was I encroaching on your territory." She adjusted the bundle so she could look into the murky grey eyes that were roaming around, tiny dark eyebrows furrowed in a grumpy look. "You know, while I do thank you for giving us the gift of an added cup size, before they were your food source they were mine to play with."

"Cosima!" Delphine was putting her earrings on and gave the brunette a glare through her reflection.

"Oh she doesn't understand what I'm saying." Cosima placed a soft kiss on the tiny infant's forehead, never stopping her rocking. "I could be spilling all the secrets about your mommy's naughty stuff and you wouldn't care, would you?"

Delphine rolled her eyes, reaching for the baby when she was done. "Please put on clothes." She smiled at the baby that was beginning to squirm in her blanket.

"Oh, I'm pretty sure she needs a new diaper." Cosima commented with a grin, disappearing into the walk-in closet.

With a frustrated huff, Delphine carried the baby into the nursery, the walls painted brightly with animals and other shapes. "Don't you listen to her, Angelique." Laying the tiny form on the changing table, she tapped the nose that was all Cosima. It had been a big decision for them, starting a family and the how-tos of it. They had settled on fertilizing one of Cosima's eggs and implanting it in Delphine, the actress firmly set on being the one to give birth to a tiny replica of her wife. It had only taken two tries for the pregnancy to take and they were blessed with the most perfect little girl. "Your maman is such a pain in my ass sometimes." She made quick work of changing her diaper, straightening out the bright yellow jumper they'd agreed upon. "We both love you very much, my precious angel." With a smile she reached out and tickled the baby's side, getting a grumpy grunt of disapproval that reminded her completely of her wife's hatred for being tickled.

"This ok?"

Delphine looked up to see Cosima in a loose fitting dress embroidered with a flowing bohemian pattern that matched her leggings. "Perfect." She smiled, pulling the woman to her in a soft kiss. "You look beautiful, mon amour."

"Do you want me to carry her?"

Shaking her head, Delphine nodded towards the bag on the changing table. "Non but you can grab her diaper bag.." She laughed at the brunette's unhappy look. There was a knock on the door of the nursery that drew the attention of both women.

"Good Morning Aldous!" Cosima plastered on the fake smile that Delphine recognized as being saved for the man alone. It wasn't a secret how much the brunette disliked her manager.

"Good morning, Cosima. Delphine everyone is waiting patiently downstairs. Are you sure you want to do this?" He sighed heavily. "Surely an exclusive article..."

"Our baby is not a cash cow, Aldous." Cosima interrupted, obviously tired of the discussion. "She's not for sale to the highest bidder."

Delphine hid a smile the best she could. "Cosima is correct. We are not using this as a money-making stunt." She tapped Angelique on the nose and was rewarded with a gummy smile. "Besides, I'm tired of the reporters hiding in my bushes trying to snap photos." At Cosima's snickering , she rolled her eyes. "You are a child." She chastised Cosima. "House full of children." She grinned as Aldous shook his head, leading them out of the room.

"You ready for this?" Cosima was by her side, the diaper bag thrown over her shoulder.

Delphine nodded, giving the brunette one more quick kiss, looking down at the form that had dozed off in her arm. "I think it's time the world met the cutest baby on the planet."

Cosima nodded, taking a deep breath.

A hand slipped into her own and together they entered the altered living room space that was full of reporters, cameras, and lights, their presence causing a commotion as flashes went off, the world getting it's first pictures of Angelique Marie Cormier-Niehaus.


End file.
